18 To whom then will you (A)liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him?
19 (B)The workman molds an image,
The goldsmith overspreads it with gold,
And the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such [a]a contribution
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks for himself a skillful workman
(C)To prepare a carved image that will not totter.

21 (D)Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who (E)stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a (F)tent to dwell in.
23 He [b]brings the (G)princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.

24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.

25 “To(H) whom then will you liken Me,
Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
(I)He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:20 an offering
  2. Isaiah 40:23 reduces

18 To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him?

19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold and casteth silver chains.

20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a skillful workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved.

21 Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, who stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in,

23 who bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.

24 Yea, they shall not be planted, yea, they shall not be sown; yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth. And He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

25 “To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal?” saith the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, who bringeth out their host by number. He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one faileth.

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